By next summer, buses without air conditioning are planned to be completely phased out in Tashkent

The new bus stops in Tashkent are part of a large-scale project that involves multi-billion investments and a ten-year lease. The right to operate these updated complexes was granted to one operator.

Conditions for Transferring Stops

According to information presented in a letter from the Tashkent hokimiyat to the Presidential Administration, the city has 2,871 bus stops. 496 stop complexes were put up for auction: 266 with advertising structures and 230 without them. Formally, three companies participated in the tenders, but the document only names the winner—EWI Snacks LLC, which specializes in snack production.

EWI Snacks LLC received the right to operate all listed objects and committed to paying an annual rent of 1.7 billion soums to the city budget. It is important to note that this scheme does not imply a direct transfer of stops to a private firm or financing of construction from the city budget. Instead, the investor independently creates and equips the complexes, receiving the right to use them for ten years. The main income from the project will likely be generated through the commercial monetization of the complexes themselves, primarily through advertising space and additional services.

Structure of the Operator Company

A question arises as to how a company whose main activity is related to snack production became a participant in the auction for urban transport infrastructure. The hokimiyat provided context indicating the structure of EWI Snacks LLC. The sole founder of this company is East-West Invest, known as a producer of snacks under the Cheers brand and the official representative of Pepsi in Uzbekistan. Shares in East-West Invest are distributed between the Cypriot company Redlex Trans Ltd, which owns 98.21%, and Shahzod Khalimov, who holds 1.79%.

Furthermore, the hokimiyat's letter notes that entrepreneur Shukhrat Ergashev is the 100% founder of Redlex Trans Ltd. This person is named as the beneficiary of enterprises producing drinks under the PepsiCo brand and is also recognized as one of the country's major advertisers.

Cost and Infrastructure Requirements

The hokimiyat's letter also reveals details regarding the costs of creating the new stop network and the investor's obligations. The cost of the complexes varies depending on the level of equipment. The most basic option—a four-meter pavilion without advertising elements—is estimated at approximately 42.1 million soums. If an LED screen is added, the cost of the same format increases to 114.3 million soums. The most expensive is the six-meter complex, equipped with an advertising screen and a vending machine, which will cost approximately 178.9 million soums.

The investor is responsible not only for installing the pavilions but also for carrying out a number of infrastructure tasks. Each object must be equipped with an electronic display to show vehicle arrivals, video surveillance systems, an emergency call button '112 SOS', bins, benches, ramps, and tactile paving for visually impaired people. The operator is also obliged to ensure the landscaping of the adjacent area.

Air Conditioning Issues

A separate section of the document addresses the topic of stop air conditioning. The hokimiyat explains that cooling is not planned for most new complexes, citing examples from Tokyo, Seoul, and Singapore, where priority is given to air conditioning the public transport itself and minimizing bus waiting times. According to the administration's estimates, the annual cost of installing and maintaining one air conditioner in Uzbekistan amounts to 18–22 million soums, and its energy consumption exceeds the capacity of solar panels that can be installed on the roof of a standard stop.

Nevertheless, the authorities reserve the right to introduce closed, cooled pavilions on a trial basis in areas with high passenger traffic. Thus, the new model requires the private operator to fulfill a wide range of obligations to the city: from installing necessary equipment and landscaping to full commissioning of the facilities. The effectiveness of the entire project will be determined by how timely and qualitatively these conditions are met during the ten-year lease period.

The Anti-Corruption Agency of Uzbekistan reported that none of the 120 bus stops scheduled for handover during May-June have received an official acceptance certificate in Tashkent.

Problems with stop modernization

The agency conducted an inspection of the process of modernizing bus stops in the capital, which caused significant public resonance. According to presidential decrees PP-111 and PP-368, it was planned to bring 1785 stops in Tashkent into compliance with established standards (1185 by 2026 and 600 by 2027). To achieve this goal, the stops, land plots, and the structures themselves were supposed to be listed on the E-auksion electronic platform with leasing options.

The financing for the reconstruction of existing stops and the installation of new standard stops was supposed to be covered by the winners of the auctions from their own funds. According to the agency, in tenders held in 2025–2026, the company Ewi Snacks won bids for land plots where 266 stops are located, as well as for the construction of another 230 social stops, after which the relevant lease agreements were signed.

Discrepancy with plans and inspections

According to the approved schedule, 120 objects were supposed to be handed over in May-June 2026—60 leased and 60 social. However, the inspection revealed that construction and installation works remained unfinished at many of these stops, and the necessary equipment was not fully installed. Moreover, no acceptance certificate was issued for any of the 120 objects.

The Anti-Corruption Agency appealed to the Tashkent Khokimiyat, demanding timely and full fulfillment of all contractual obligations, and strengthening supervision to ensure that the stop equipment meets the approved technical requirements and is commissioned. Furthermore, the agency recommended that future auctions divide stops into smaller lots by district or other territorial units, which, in the agency's opinion, will increase competition and attract more entrepreneurs. Responsible officials were also instructed to regularly inform the public about the progress of these projects.

Official position and current status

At the same time, local government representatives presented a different picture. Olloyor Norbutaev, Head of the Public Transport Prioritization Department of the Road Traffic Organization Center, told Qalampir.uz that more than 250 stops have already been replaced with modern structures in Tashkent and have been put into operation. He specified that the equipping is done in stages, and approximately 50 of them have electronic displays showing bus arrival times. It is planned that about a thousand stops will be modernized by the end of the current year.

Norbutaev explained that the essential elements required for accepting a stop include a pavilion, a bench, a trash can, and a special boarding area. The facilities must also include ramps and tactile paving for people with disabilities. When asked about the lack of air conditioners, fans, cameras, Wi-Fi, and electronic displays, the COTD representative replied that the authorities do not intend to create enclosed stops, as the main task is to ensure convenient boarding and disembarking, not prolonged passenger stay.

Regarding the fleet renewal, Norbutaev noted that reducing intervals should be achieved through bus renewal: 200 electric buses were purchased last year, and another 200 are planned to be purchased by the end of the year. When journalists pointed out damaged glass and passenger complaints about the heat, the COTD representative stated that he only knew of one case of broken glass on Makhtumkuli Street, which was replaced the next day. He also noted that the constructed stop, which previously occupied the site of a retail outlet, has an increased area, and the shade from it depends on the time of day.

Mayor's comments on stop functions

Tashkent Mayor Shavkat Umurzakov commented on the demolition of shops from bus stops in an interview with Kun.uz, emphasizing that stops must comply with standards and primarily fulfill a public function. He reported that about 2500 stops are currently operating in the capital, and the number is planned to be increased to 3500 in the future, although more than a thousand existing facilities do not meet modern requirements.

Umurzakov stated that placing retail points on stops creates obstacles to traffic movement, leads to increased waste, and causes inconvenience to passengers. New stops will be built according to international standards and equipped with safety buttons, internet, and traffic information, and may also have vending machines. The cost of such a stop is estimated at $10–20 thousand, and the project is implemented through public-private partnerships. Alternative trading places are offered to entrepreneurs whose shops were demolished.

Earlier, in March, the COTD announced a 90-day program to update infrastructure, the first stage of which planned to improve 380 stops on the busiest streets. Among them, 120 were combined with shops, half of which had illegal extensions. Authorities explained the demolition of shops as a necessity to free up space for passengers and create an inclusive environment, and they were also conducting an inventory of stops that had long been under the balance of 12 different organizations for transfer to the COTD's management.